Remote-controlled lock



July 23, 1929. H. GOSS REMOTE .CONTROLLED LOCK Filed Dec. 20, 1926 INVENTOR. Han/5 5 6095 BY 9% ATTORNEY Patented July 23, 1929.

UNlTEIE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOLLIS E. GOSS, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

REMOTE-CONTROLLED LOCK.

My invention relates to a lock which may be rendered inoperative by means operable at a, point spaced therefrom.

An object of the invention is to provide a lock of the character described which is arranged to be controlled by a key operated means whichis not mechanically connected to the lock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is of extremely simple structure and may be readily installed in. connection with variously mounted doors. I

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will he set forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and descrip tion. as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly diagrammatic, showing the device of my invention operatively installed for the control of an exterior door of a garage or the like.

Figure 2 is a back sectional view taken through the locking mechanism of the device.

Figures 3 and 1 are fragmentary side and front sectional views respectively of a key operated electric control switch forming part ()1 device.

It is usually desirable that doors through which vehicles must pass be normally locked in closed position. But when a vehicle is to pass through a door so closed, an occupant of the vehicle must usually leave the vehicle to open the door, thereby consuming a certair amount o'l time and exposing such person to the rigors of any unpleasant weather conditions which may obtain. In accordance with my invention, however, a device is pro vided whereby opening of the door may be eitt'ectod by an occupant of the vehicle from the vehicle, thereby saving considerable time and ell'ort in opening the door. And I have furthermore provided means whereby the open- .ing of the door involves the use of a particular key whereby the unauthorized opening thereof may be prevented.

As herewith particularly illustrated, the

device of my invention is installed in operative relation to a pair of doors 6 and 7, which doors are arranged to cooperate to efiect a closure of a vehicle opening provided in a wall 8, and to which passage a driveway 9 of requisite width leads. A lock portion 11 of the device is here shown mounted on the door 7 while a control switch 12 forming part of the device is mounted on a member13 preferably positioned at the drivers side of the driveway and arranged to position the switch within thedrivefis reach from his seat in a vehicle stopped opposite the switch.

The lock 11, it will now be noted, comprises a casing 14 arranged to be fixed to the door 7 adjacent its free edge 16 as by screws 17 and providing one or more bolts arranged to be disposed to lock the doors in closed position. As here shown, the lock is provided with a pai r of bolts 18 and 19, which bolts are arranged to be respectively projected downwardly and upwardly into suitable sockets 21 and 22 provided in the top and bottom of the door opening. The door 6 is preferably provided with a suitable lock 20 of the night-latch type having its bolt so engaged with the door 7 that it will also be held in locked position when the latter is locked, so that one look mechanism may serve for both doors and the door 6 may at the same time be opened and closed independently oi the door 7. The inner ends 23 and 24 respectively of the bolts 18 and extend through suitable perforations 26 and 27 respectively provided in the bottom and top walls 28 and 29 of the oasmg and are arranged to be longitudinally reciprocated 1n guideways 31 and 32 provided in the casing. 1 1s here shown the guideways 31 and 32 are parallel and are disposed laterally of each other. Like aetuations of the bolts are preferably arranged to take ver being connected to different of the bolt portions 23 and 24 by means of links 37 whereby an oscillation of the arm by means of the spindle 33 will simultaneously effect oppositely directed movements of the bolts.

Means are provided to urge each bolt to maintain its withdrawn, or inoperative position, and as here shown, such means comprises the operative interposition of a compression spring 38 between seats 39 provided in each of the portions 23 and 24 of the different bolts, and the respective casing walls through which the bolts extend,-

such springs being, disposed to encirclevthe bolts. Since the bolts will thus tend to maintain inoperativepositions with respect to their sockets, means are provided for releasably holding the bolts seated in such sockets against the urging of the springs 38. Pivotally mounted at a side of one of the guideways is a lever 40, such lever being arranged to normally extend generally transversely outwardly of said guideway from the line of its side, while mounted on one of the bolts is a member 41 disposed longitudinally of the bolt and pivoted at its forward end, and arranged to have the other end 42 so engage the adjacent end 43 of lever 39 when the bolt is operatively disposed that a return movement of the bolt will be prevented, it being noted that the detent. means thus provided is here disclosed as associated with the bolt 18. As here shown. the lever end 43 is cylindrically curved'about the pivotal axis ot the lever, is disposed tangentially of the guideway, and is notched to provide a seat 44 for the free end 42 of the member 41, while the member 41 is arranged to be urged outwardly of the bolt by means of a spring 45. In this manner, with the lever in normal position, as the bolt is moved from an inoperative to an operative position, the member 41 will slidably engage the lever end 39 and its end 42 will finally engage in the seat 44. It now, the

lever 39 be appropriately rocked from its normal position, the member 41, due to the cam action of the seat edge, would be forced free of the seat and a return movement ot the bolt would be permitted by reason of the :action of the bolt spring 38, it being noted that like movements of the other bolt would occuron account of the interconnection of the bolts provided through the rocker arm 36.

Meansare provided for effecting a. movement of the lever 39 to release a bolt held thereby, the actuation of such means being arranged to be caused by mechanism operable at a point remote from the lock. Mounted in'the casing is-a solenoid 46, while pivotally secured to the lever 39 is a rod 47 having mounted thereon an iron core or armature 48 for the solenoid, which armature is disposed for longitudinal movement in such solenoid. hen the lever 39 is normallydisposed. the armature 48 is arranged to be but slightly inserted in the solenoid, a spring 49 being here shown disposed in the solenoid to bear against the armature end and so maintain it and the lever in their normal positions. If, however, the solenoid be energized, the armature will be drawn within it to displace the lever 39 and so free the bolts in the manner described, and the solenoid is accordingly included in a circuit 51, which circuit. is arranged to be closed by means of the switch 12 in a manner to be hereinafter more particularly described. Pivotally secured to the lever 39 is a rod 52, which rod is arranged to extend through and outwardly of the casing on the inner side of the door whereby the lever may be actuated from the inner side of the door to release the lock bolts independently of the solenoid.

The doors 6 and 7,-it will now be noted, are preferably arranged to be continuously urged to assume open positions, as by suitable spring mechanisms 53, so that when the circuit 51 is closed to energize the solenoid and thus releasethe lock bolts for retraction to inoperative position, the doors will be freed to swing to open position. It will now be noted that while the lock mechanism of the device of my invention is here particularly shown as applied to a pair of cooperatin swin doors it mi ht with e ual readi- 'J D 3 D ness be used With doors otherwise mounted, as with a single swing door, or a sliding door, or a swing lift door, without in volving any change in its structure or mode ot: installation and operation.

It will now be noted that the circuit 51 includes suitably disposed batteries 54, and may, as indicated, he carried underground from the wall 8 to the switch carrying member 13, and thence through such member to the switch 12. Froman operative standpoint, it will, of course, be obvious that any type of circuit closing switch might be used in the circuit 51 to effect an unlocking and opening of the doorsin the manner described, but since the switch is to be exposed, its operation is. preferably arranged to be key controlled, and a switch mechanism providing such control is accordingly provided.

As herewith particularly. disclosed, the switch carrying member 13 is in the form of a cylindrical tubular post, while the switch structure comprises abutt'ag and relcasably engaged casing sections 56 and 57 and a cylindrical key receiving harrel'58 mounted for rotation about its axis in a bore 59 extending through the section 57, said barrel being arranged to be released for rotation only upon the insertion of a proper key therein. The casing sections 56 and 57 preferably abutin a vertical plane with thebore 59 horizontally disposed, andthe casing 56' is internally recessed opposite the bore end to provide for the mounting of one or more ill fill

contact points 61 thereon, which points are connected in the circuit 51. Fixed to the inner barrel end is a conductor member 62, which, when the barrel is appropriately rotated following the insertion of the proper key therein, is arranged to contact with and electrically connect the points 61, whereby the circuit may be closed and the doors opened in the manner described.

It will now be noted that, as here shown, the casing provided by the combined sections 56 and 57 is generally cylindrical with the same outer diameter as the top portion 62 of the support member 12 and is spherically rounded at the top thereof to insure the shedding of rain and the like therefrom. The bottom of the casing is arranged to provide a cylindrical extension 63 which is arranged to be disposed in the bore of the support portion 62 and thereafter upon a slight axial rotation of the casing to become locked to such support portion. The key controlled barrel 58 is arranged, upon a rotative disposition thereof to a position preferably other than that for efi'ecting the circuit closure, to be axially withdrawn, whereby access to a pin 64 removably engaged in cooperating holes provided in the end of the support portion 62 and casing section 57 may be had, whereby, upon removal of the pin, the casing may be rotated to unlock it from the support portion 62 to thereby permit its removal. In this manner, the switch is arranged to be mounted in locked relation on the support as it is assem bled, and at the same time may be as readily dismounted from such support.

It will now be clear that the driver of a vehicle may stop the vehicle adjacent the switch in position to reach the latter, and then merely by inserting and turning the appropriate key in the switch mechanism, cause an opening of the doors, whereby the doors are opened without necessity of leaving the vehicle and in a minimum of time. Closure of the doors from either side would be effected by first placing the door 7 in shut position, effecting the dispositionand looking of the bolts in their sockets by appropriately manipulating the knob 34, and then closing the door 6 to have the bolt of its lock 20 operatively engage the door 7. In this manner the door 6 may be opened at any time independently of door 7, it being noted that the keys for lock 20 and the key-controlled switch 12 are preferably alike.

I claim:

1. In combination with a door arranged to provide a closure for an opening, a lock having a bolt disposable to secure said door in said opening, means urging said bolt to maintain an inoperative position, means operative to releasably secure said bolt in operative position, and means operative to render said last means inoperative and thereby permit an inoperative disposal of said bolt by said lirst means.

2. In combination with a door arranged to provide a closure for an opening, a lock having a bolt disposable to secure said door in said opening, means urging said bolt to maintain an inoperative position, means normally operative to releasably secure said bolt in operative position, and key controlled means operative at a point spaced from said door to render said last means inoperative and thereby permit an inoperative disposal of said bolt by said first means.

3. In combination with a door arranged'to provide a closure for an opening, a lock having a bolt positionable to secure said door operatively disposed in said opening, means urging said bolt to maintain an inoperative position, means operative to releasably secure said bolt in operative position, a normally open electric circuit having means therein operable upon the closing of the circuit to release said bolt securing means, and thereby permit a functioning of said first means to dispose said bolt in inoperative position, and means manually operable disposed at a point spaced from said door for effecting a closure of said circuit.

4:. In combination with a door arranged to provide a closure for an opening, a lock having a bolt positionable to secure said door operatively disposed in said opening, means resiliently urging said bolt to maintain an inoperative position, detent means normally operative to releasably secure said bolt in operative position, an electric circuit having a solenoid included therein, an armature movable with respect to said solenoid and arranged to assume different positions relative thereto when said circuit is respectively in open and closed condition, and means operatively connecting said armature and detent means whereby when said circuit is in one of said conditions said detent means will be operative and when said circuit is in the other of said conditions, said detent means will be inoperative.

5. In combination with a door arranged to provide a closure for an opening, a lock having a rcciprocable bolt positionable to secure said door operatively disposed in said openin g, spring means yieldingly urging said bolt to maintain an inoperative position, a knob spindle associated with said bolt and manually operative for setting said bolt in inoperat-ive position against the resistance of said spring, detent means normally operative to releasably secure said bolt in operative position, and electrically controlled means operative from a point spaced from said door for releasing said detent whereby said bolt will be withdrawn to release the door and thereby permit the opening thereof by said first named means.

6. In a door lock, a casing providing a ried by said bolt, and a displaoeable stop member carried by said casing and normally disposed for engagementby said detent member When said bolt is in extended position whereby said bolt may be held in such position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto sei my hand, at Oakland, California, this 9th day 01" December, 1926.

HOLLIS E. GOSS 

